Summer Love
by EdwardCullen'sLove
Summary: Ever since Edward and Bella were five, their families have spent their summers together and are best friends. But this summer, things start to change. Will Edward and Bella be able to admit their feelings for one another, or will things come between them? All human. Rated Mature for language and possible lemons!
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:  
**_

**_So, finally here is my second fanfic! I have seriously had major writer's block trying to start this story! But finally it started to come to me!_  
**

* * *

**One**

Maybe it was because he'd been trapped in the car for way too long with his mother and Jake, his lovable, slobbery golden retriever.

Maybe it was because, he'd drunk two two-liter bottles of water and hadn't made one rest stop.

Or maybe it was that he was only minutes away from the Atlantic surf splashing between his toes, the hot June sun beating down on his head, and Bella, his best friend, whom he hadn't seen since last summer.

Whatever the reason, when Edward Cullen pulled the silver Volvo XC 90 into the gravel driveway of his family's summer home. He practically bounced off the SUV's walls.

"Looks like the Swans have already paid us a visit," his mom commented, smiling up at a hanging basket bursting with red geraniums that were hanging from the hook on the side porch. When she opened the car door, Jake bounded out and promptly began to befriend every bush in sight.

Edward raced up the sidewalk, and juggled the key in the lock. "Hel-lo summer!" he said, letting out a slow whistle as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, the scent of sand and the ocean filing his nostrils.

Dropping his backpack and duffel bag on the tiled floor, he opened the white wooden blinds and squinted in the bright sunlight that flooded the kitchen. After taking a quick, perfunctory glance around the downstairs, he jogged up the center stairway to his room. The door was already open, and except for the brand new plaid blue bedspread and matching floor rug, and drapes, things looked just as he had left them when he'd left last August.

He gave the mattress a good thump and yanked open the window before running back downstairs. After a quick pit stop in the bathroom, he and his mom carried in bag after bag of summer supplies, beach chairs, and enough suitcases to dress a small army.

"Now the fun begins," Mrs. Cullen said, staring at the mountain of bags that filled the kitchen.

Edward rinsed two glasses from one of the cupboards and poured them each a glass of cold water.

"I don't suppose you'd let me out of here for a while?" he asked, putting on his most hangdog expression.

His mom glanced at her watch. "If you promise to go grocery shopping later, I guess I can do without you for a while." She ran her fingers through her caramel hair. "And after all that time in the car I definitely need to take a shower."

Gulping down the rest of his water, Edward splashed some cold water from the kitchen faucet on his face and then pushed open the screen door.

"Give my best to Bella!" his mom called as the door banged behind him. "That is where you're headed, right?"

Edward grinned as he jogged around the corner. Did she have to ask?

~{SL}~

Bella Swan was possibly the coolest person on the planet. And if anyone knew that, it was Edward.

Because every summer for the past eleven years, Edward had spent every single day with her.

The year before Edward had started kindergarten, his parents had decided to rent a beach house in Silver Sands, just slightly north of Virginia Beach.

Back then his parents idn't have lot of money, so instead of renting a place by themselves, they opted to share. The real estate office had paired the Cullens, from Forks, Washington, with the Swans from Phoenix, Arizona. The Swans had two daughters: Rosalie, age eight, and Bella, age five—like Edward. The adults hit it off right away, and soon Bella and Edward were busy bugging Rose, building sand castles, and racing hermit crabs along the shore.

The two families had shared a summer house ever since, until a few summers ago, when Brilliant Gold, the oceanfront place that sat adjacent to Avalon, the Cullens/Swans house, was renovated and put on the market, only to be snapped up immediately by Bella's parents. Edward had been majorly bummed when the Swans told his family they were going to move, but the idea eventually grew on him.

Not only would Bella be next door, but they could hang out on Bella's spacious oceanfront deck, instead of his cramped backyard. Not to mention Bella and Rosalie's old bedroom now vacant, he'd have a lot more room for his stuff.

Bella's pristine white house faced the water, and Edward's seafoam green and cedar-shingled house was situated directly behind it, his backyard butting hers. His view wasn't as glamorous as hers, but on the second floor you could see it a little, mostly in his bedroom.

"Why, Edward!" Renee Swan exclaimed when he rang the doorbell. Bella's mom looked well polished in her Bermuda shorts and yellow sleeveless Polo shirt. She gave him a big hug and kiss, then laughed and wiped the lipstick off his cheek.

"How are you?"

"Fine, thanks."

"And your parents?"

"They're good. My mom and I drove down today. My dad's going to drive down on Friday."

"I'm afraid Bella couldn't wait for you to get here start on her tan." Renee shaded her blue eyes and squinted down at the beach. "She's out there somewhere. Just follow the sounds of Muse, or whatever it is you kids are listening to these days."

Edward laughed. "Okay, see you later."

He was psyched. With a clear blue sky and a sizzling sun, it was a perfect beach day. And he was on his way to see his best friend. Summer had officially begun!

As he walked across the boardwalk and down the rickety wooden steps, the salty taste of the ocean air met his lips, while above him a lone pelican soared on the soft summer breeze.

The residents of Silver Sands had a long stretch of shimmery beige sand to themselves. Edward loved Silver Sands more than anything. It was the kind of place families came back to year after year, and where shopkeepers remembered you.

_Where I'll have the chance to do some serious hooking up, _Edward thought excitedly, smiling at a group of girls sunbathing on a nearby beach blanket.

Everywhere he looked these days, girls caught his eye. Tall ones, round ones. Might as well just say every girl, it was easier and true.

It took him only a few minutes to spot Bella's blue-and-white umbrella, tilting back toward him in the bright sun. Slipping off his flip flops, he jogged down the beach toward it, wincing as the hot sun burned his toes.

But he came to a halt when he go near the umbrella. He'd made a mistake— this wasn't Bella's after all. A shiny new cooler sat propped up in the sand next to a portable iPod speaker set, playing a familiar song Edward had heard that morning. Spread out underneath the umbrella was a blue and yellow beach towel.

But these were details, minor details, considering the beautiful female specimen reclining at his feet.

Not to mention her tiny, pale blue bikini.

Now that was a _major_ detail.

The girl's hair was long, and a chocolate brown with a hint or red and blond highlights…the color of Bella's turned only after they'd been at the beach for weeks. And her legs were long too; in fact they were so long, Edward couldn't help but stare at them like a damn drunken sailor. The beach goddess lay with her face and neck under the umbrella's shade, her softly curved body glistening in the sun. All he could see was a pair of ruby red lips, slick with lipgloss, and a tiny, strong chin.

Edward's heart began to beat faster. This girl was _hot!_ And it was the beginning of the summer, too soon for any other guys to have hit on her yet. Maybe he would be the first.

Taking a breath, he wiped his palms on his wrinkled, ketchup-stained shorts, cursing himself for ordering those extra French fries on the drive down. But who would've guessed he'd see a girl like this? He'd been expecting only—

The girl sat up and ripped off her sunglasses. "Edward!"

Edward staggered backwards in the sand. "_Bella?"_

She leaped up and flung her slender arms around his neck. "About damn time you got here. I've been bored out of my mind!"

Stupified, Edward let himself be hugged, then he yanked himself away and gaped at the brown-eyed brunet standing before him.

"Bella!" he repeated once he found his voice, poking her shoulder accusingly. Now that he was only inches away from her, there was no doubt it was her. He hadn't spent eleven summers with her for nothing. But from far away…man!

"Who were you expecting?" she teased, hugging him again.

The smell of warm pineapple mixed with coconut oil tickled his nose as he shooed away the little bikini strings that fluttered around her neck.

Speaking of necks, his had started to pour out sweat. Had he actually been thinking about hitting on _Bella? _His childhood pal? Bella was his buddy, for Pete's sake. Sure, he wanted to hook up… but not with her!

He shuddered. What if he had used some lame opening line? _Not to mention the laugh Bella would have had at my expense!_

Edward stared at her.

"You just looked different from a distance, that's all," he said. The sick residue of suntan lotion stuck to his hands, and he wiped them on his shorts. "Older."

"Older? Really?" Bella broke out in a huge smile, then peered intently at Edward. "You look older too."

"I do?"

Bella reached over and squeezed his biceps. "A little taller, a little beefier."

Edward flexed his arm, proud that she'd noticed.

"Well, I have been lifting for a couple of months."

Bella giggled. "I said a _little._ But it's true." She gave his bronze hair an affectionate tousle.

"And you hair! It's a lot shorter too!"

Edward reached over and mussed up her hair in turn. "Looks like someone's been hitting the Clairol."

Bella ducked away. "Only my hairdresser knows for sure." She dropped back down on her beach towel. "When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago," Edward said, sitting down beside her.

"You can't believe the major ordeal _we_ had on the way down," Bella began. "Not only did we have bumper-to-bumper traffic, but the geniuses who work on the roads decided that was the perfect time to close one of the damn lanes. And then my mom got mad because I made her stop for a pit stop." She popped the cooler open.

"Any way. Who cares about all that crap? I'm just glad we're here."

Edward leaned back on his elbows. "Me too." He popped open the soda Bella handed him.

"Think you can handle tonight?" Bella asked, her brown eyes twinkling.

Edward patted his stomach and grinned. "I'm _always_ up to the challenge of a junk food bonanza."

Ever since they were little kids, their parents had allowed them to go crazy on their first night together, eating anything they wanted and staying out way too late.

Bella leaned into him. "I've got so much to tell you, I don't know where to begin," she said. "Can you believe we haven't seen each other in ten months? How are things in Forks? My schedule was freaking crazy, and everyone says junior year is going to be even—"

Just then two girls wearing bikinis and sunglasses jogged by. One of them turned her head and smiled at Edward. He returned the smile, puffing out his chest slightly.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked, breaking off.

Edward shook his head slightly. "Nothing."

Bella leaned in closer. "Are you sure? You look all stiff. And what's with that damn silly grin?"

Edward let his chest and face muscles relax. "Didn't you _see_ those girls?" he said under his breath.

Bella looked around slightly. "What girls?" Bella asked, following his gaze down the beach.

His smile faded slightly. "The two girls practically eye fucking me!" he prompted.

Bella got up on her knees and shielded her eyes from the sun. "Where?"

"Bella!" Edward pulled her back. "Way to be subtle."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't get your damn shorts in a bunch, Edward. No one saw me."

"Lucky for you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Without warning, Bella grabbed his hand. "It'd been even worse if they saw me whip your ass!" She arm-wrestled him onto the beach towel.

"Oh, you wish!" Edward cried, but Bella had taken him by surprise, and within seconds she'd pinned his wrist to the ground.

Bella licked her index finger and made an invisible mark in the air in front of him. "Swan, one. Cullen, zero."

"Yeah, well, you took me by surprise," Edward grumbled, rolling away from her.

"Oh, don't go all sulky on me." Bella said, nudging his thigh with her toe. "I'm sure those girls were _dying_ to meet you. Really." she paused. "That's why they ran in the opposite direction." She said, then began giggling.

Edward tried not to laugh—but one look from Bella, and he couldn't help himself. "You think that's pretty fucking funny, don't you?" he said with a grin.

"_Think?_: She giggled again, her long hair spilling over her slender shoulders, her eyes dancing. "I just forgot how much I love to bust on you."

"Yeah, yeah." Edward said. Bella could tease him about girls all she wanted, but the truth was that if any summer was going to be filled with hooking up, this one was it. After all he was sixteen, soon to be seventeen, he had his driver's license, and his bod—specifically his chest—no longer resembling a carrot stick.

Edward gazed longingly at the sea of bikinis that paraded by. Then he looked at Bella, wondering how he could have possibly mistaken her for a hot new babe, rather than his childhood best friend. She straightened out her beach towel and was humming along with the song on the her iPod.

He'd heard that excessive heat could warp your brain and make you think things you wouldn't normally think.

_That must be what happened today when I first saw her_, he decided.

In any case, Edward would be sure not to let _that_ happen ever again.

Bella glanced at him. "If your wrists are sore from arm wrestling, dunking it in salt water would probably help," she said sweetly.

"I've got a better remedy." Edward bent over and scooped her up in his arms.

"Put me down! This fucking instant!" Bella shrieked, swatting at his chest.

"No can do," he said, hoisting her higher. "I forgot much I love to bust on _you!_"

With smooth, even strides, Edward ran to the water with Bella in his arms, dodging beach umbrellas, coolers, and sprawled-out legs. The two of them fell in a heap in the surf, laughing and splashing each other.

"You'll fucking pay for this!" Bella sputtered, but her eyes were laughing, giving her away.

Edward's eyes laughed back.

Summer—it was finally here!

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**_R/E: You know what to do! Review! _**


	2. Chapter Two

_**Author's Note:  
**_

**_Here's chapter two! And I would like to personally thank all three people who have reviewed so far!_  
**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight._ All credit goes to the amazing Stephenie Meyer!  
_**

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**Two**

Cute, quaint, family-oriented. The adjectives that describe Silver Sands' wholesomeness were endless. But sometimes you just had to cut loose- live life on the wild side.

And that meant only one thing; cruising Atlantic Avenue strip in Virginia Beach, preferably on wheels, and a convertible, but on foot if needed. The main boulevard is lined with hotels, tourist shops, restaurants, and filled with cars pulsating to blasting music coming from their speakers, and teenagers hanging their arms and legs and other various body parts out rolled-down windows.

Edward and Bella were in the thick of it all. They'd parked the Volvo on one of the side streets and were weaving their way through the crowds that filled the sidewalks. First-night tradition meant stopping by at least three fast-food places. Salads and fruit-smoothies were forbidden— if it wasn't deep-fried or liable to cause tooth decay, forget it!

"Remember, you've gotta eat this fast, or it'll blow away," Edward cautioned, pulling a chunk of sky blue cotton candy out of its plastic bag. He had offered Bella the bag.

"Don't worry," she said, ripping off a huge piece and stuffing the whole damn thing in her mouth. "It'll be gone in a minute!"

Edward was having a great time walking and talking with Bella, filling her in on all that had happened since they'd last been together. Edward loved that about their friendship; they could go ten months without seeing each other… but then they'd pick right up where they'd left off.

"By the time we get to Waves and Waffles, you'll be ready for more." He licked the sticky residue off his fingertips. "Unless you're too _full._"

They'd already had fried oysters at Pete's and hot-fudge sundaes at Marnie's.

"And miss out on the greatest, most cholesterol-filled fries this side of the beach? Bella shook her head. "I don't fucking think so!"

Edward sidestepped a large man standing outside a shop, holding up a t-shirt that read _Fall in Love…With Virginia Beach._

"It feels so fucking awesome to be on our own," Edward said as he tossed the empty cotton candy bag in the trash can.

"No being dropped off and picked up, no more nights being trapped at the house," Bella agreed as they walked on.

"I wouldn't exactly say being back at the house is a _bad_ thing,: Edward said, a little hurt. That was one of the things he liked best about summer— spending the nights lying around the house with Bella, watching TV and hanging out.

Bella put her hands up to his neck and massaged it. "I didn't mean it that way, _Eddie_. I just meant that it's nice to have freedom to come and go as we please."

"Hey! Don't call me Eddie! And that sounds better," Edward told her, mollified. They approached the grease-filmed take-out window of Waves and Waffles.

"Hey, don't fucking stop!" Edward protested when Bella stopped rubbing his neck.

Bella laughed. "How am I supposed to wolf down these fries if I'm busy giving you a massage?"

Edward shrugged. "You don't _have_ to eat," he tried, scrunching up his neck and attempting to look as if he was in extreme pain.

"Tell you what," Bella started. "I'll give you a rain check for tonight, if you promise to give _me_ a massage later this week."

"Well…" Edward considered this.

"That means you're getting two massages and I'm only getting one," Bella pointed out.

"Okay. But I can't make any promises that it'll be good."

Bella took his hand, which was still slightly sticky from the cotton candy. "It's all in here." She tugged on one of Edward's fingers.

"Ow! What the fuck?" Edward yelped, yanking his fingers back. "They _are_ attached, you know!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Bella said, interlocking her fingers with his hand and giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Edward squeezed back, hard.

"Ouch!: Bella cried, attempting to shake him loose.

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Edward said mimicking Bella, and smiling.

The sand was soft and cold, and the incoming breeze off the water made Edward shiver as he and Bella walked along the beach. If it weren't for the lights from the boardwalk, and the hotels bathing parts of the beach in a pale glow, he wouldn't be able to see anything. The crash of the waves sounded like thunder, and in the distance tiny lights blinked and flickered. Edward checked for discarded glass lying about, then sat down on a small sand dune.

Bella did the same, first unwrapping the sweatshirt she'd tied around her waist and pulled it over her head. "Chilly out here, huh?"

"Perfect sleeping weather." Edward took out a pink tablet from his pocket and picked off a piece of lint. "Tums?"

"Thanks." She popped it in her mouth and began to chew. A breeze picked up the long, silky hairs that framed her face, blowing them back.

"Hey—did you hear that Alice Brandon got her tongue pierced?"

Edward wasn't surprised. "You can always count on her for something radical."

Bella nodded. "That's definitely true."

"Have you ran into Jasper at all? Edward asked.

Jasper Whitlock was a good friend of theirs who was working at a local bike rental stand that summer.

"Yep. He was giving some tourists a hard time for blowing a rim on a tandem."

"Is he still sporting that goofy haircut?"

Bella giggled. "He had a baseball hat on, so I'm afraid the answer might be yes."

Edward sighed. "The guy never learns."

"On the bright side, at least he _has_ hair. You won't believe what those Yorkie brothers did. They're so obsessed with swimming that they shaved their heads to increase their speed. I haven't seen them, but that's what Cora said."

Edward tried to imagine Tyler and Eric Yorkie without any hair. It wasn't a pretty picture. "I'm sure they look fucking ridiculous."

Bella wiggled her toes in the sand. "Hey!" she said, snapping her fingers. "You never told me how the prom went. You said in one of your rare emails that you finally got up the nerve to ask… what was her name? Brittney?"

"Brie." Edward winced as an image of Brie's tight black curls and even tighter black gown flashed into his head.

"So? How was it?"

"I try not to think about it."

"Why?"

The memory of that dismal night still depressed him. "Well, I thought going to the prom would be fun."

"Fun?" Bella tilted her head back and laughed. "That shows how much you know."

"Yeah, well, I know now. Not only did I pay an insane amount for dinner and monkey suit rental, the couple we shared the limo with were fucking obnoxious."

Bella looked ready to be entertained. "How?"

"We had to drive around town for an hour just so people we didn't know could see us in the limo. Brie's friend Emily sneaked in a flask of vodka, and she barfed before we even got to the prom."

"In the limo?"

Edward nodded.

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Ewwwww!"

Edward nodded again. "And once we were there, Brie spent most of the night running in and out of the bathroom with her phony friends while me and the other guys stood around in our tuxes and wondered what we were fucking there for."

"To pay for everything and look good," Bella said hopefully. She hesitated for moment. "Why did you ask her?"

"You mean to prom?"

"Duh."

That was a question Edward had asked himself over and over. The simple answer was that a bunch of his friends were going, and Edward thought it would be cool to go too. And even though he hadn't really _known_ Brie, she was cute and seemed pretty friendly. She'd even hinted to him that she'd like to go to the prom with him. But it didn't take long for Edward to realize that he was basically just an escort—and meal ticket.

Edward shrugged. "She was cute."

"Cute?" Bella stuck her tongue out. "But is she _nice_?"

"Nice? I guess so."

Bella tucked her chin behind her folded elbows and shot him a curious glance. "Did you…?"

Edward looked at her, puzzled. "Did we what?"

Even though it was dark, Edward could see Bella's cheeks flush.

"You know," she said.

"Jeez, Bella!" He gave her a shove. "Talk about blunt!"

"What? What's the big deal about telling me? It's not like I don't know that you're a—"

All right, all right, it's no big deal," he cut in, surprised to feel his own cheeks flushing. It wasn't as if Bella didn't already know everything there was to know about his so0called sex life. Still, he didn't need to hear her say the _v_-word aloud. Especially in reference to him.

"No. We most definitely didn't…_you know_.," he continued, shaking his head. "Not even close. I'm well—"

"Me too."

"Oh." Feeling an odd sense of relief that he and Bella were still of the same sexual status, Edward picked up a fistful of clumpy damp sand and let it run through his fingers. "I'm never going to another prom," he said vehemently. "One night of torture was enough."

"Not even next year?" Bella gasped, as if he'd just told her he was going to join the nearest monastery. "But you'll be a senior—you have to!"

Edward reconsidered his statement. "Well, not unless I get someone cool and normal to go with me."

Bella tucked her arm un his and squeezed. "Listen, if you're in a prom jam, I'll make a personal trip up to Forks to be your date."

Edward smiled at her, touched that she would do something so thoughtful. "Would you really?"

Bella paused, taking her arm back. "As long as you promise not to puke on me in the limo."

"No, seriously. That's really sweet," Edward told her.

"Hey, you're my friend." Then she giggled. "Besides, I love a good excuse to go shopping."

"Gee, thanks." Edward laughed. "You know what? This is going to be an awesome summer."

"What makes you so sure?" she asked, picking at the tiny, frayed wristband she wore around her left wrist.

"A, I can drive, B, I've got a job, and C—"

"You've got me,: Bella put in, smiling.

"Exactly." Edward finished.

They talked for another hour or so before Edward finally stoop up, brushing off the sand on his legs. "I guess we'd better get back," he said, extending his hand and pulling up Bella. He'd had plenty of energy before, but what with the drive, the beach, and the three thousand calories he'd consumed, crashing on his bed was suddenly sounding really good.

Bella gave him a sleepy smile. "Yeah."

As they climbed up the wooden steps, Edward stopped to shake the sand out of his shoes.

"Don't do that!" Bella squealed, reaching out to stop him. "You've got to leave some in your shoes."

Edward rolled his eyes. The local folklore was that if you left the beach with sand in your shoes, you'd be sure to come back the following year.

"I don't want to get sand in the Volvo," he explained.

"Bella gave him a stern look. "Now, what's more important: a clean car or you here next summer?"

Edward pretended to think about it. "Umm…"

Bella socked him on the shoulder. "I'm serious!"

"I know, that's what's scaring me." But just to be on the safe side, he did as she asked.

The drive home was a short one, and before he knew it, they were at Bella's door.

"G'night." Edward gave Bella a half wave.

"Night." Bella yawned, arching her back.

Edward didn't doubt that she was very tired, but that was a fake-out gesture if he'd ever seen one. Trying to look as casual as possible, he walked the few feet to the low fence that separated their yards, hopped over it, and trotted up the steps to his back porch.

Then he raced up the stairs, two at a time.

He didn't quite remember when it started, but he and Bella had an unspoken contest that whenever they said goodnight they'd race to see who could get to their room first.

_And I'm going to kick her ass this time_, Edward thought, thundering down the hall to his bedroom.

His hand swiped the light switch ad he bent to look over at the Swan's house.

Bella's heart-shaped face, illuminated by her bedroom lamp's soft glow, grinned back at him.

Edward swore under his breath. How had she gotten up there so fast? Giving her a final goodnight wave, he pulled the drapes closed, kicked off his shoes, and padded down the hallway to the bathroom.

With life as crazy as it was, it was nice to know that summer would always stay the same in Silver Sands.

Just like his friendship with Bella.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

**So, I PROMISE things will start to pick up next chapter! I'm kinda hit a bit of writer's block for chapter three, but no worries! I think I'm getting through it, and should have it finished either Wednesday or Thursday.  
**

**And you know what to do, R&R!**


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note: So, here's the much awaited chapter three! And again, I personally would like to thank everyone who was so kind to send a review!  
**

**Disclaimer: I Do not own anything _Twilight_ related, the awesome Mrs. Stephenie Meyer does! I'm just playing with her amazing characters!**

* * *

**Three**

Bella's bedroom window stuck a little, probably because it hadn't been opened since the previous September. With effort, she yanked firmly on the white wooden frame.

"_Unnhh!"_ The window flew open. And Bella fell back on her bed, panting. Then, dusting her hands off, she stood and lifted the screen, which was a lot easier to open. Propping her elbows on the windowsill, she stuck her head outside and took in the beautiful summer morning.

Of course, the view from her other window was amazing… the ocean foaming and frothing on the shore, early morning joggers out for a run, pelicans swooping down for a bite to eat. Sometimes she could even make out dolphins playing far out in the surf.

This was the window where she could spy on Edward.

She's done a pretty good job of it so far this morning. He didn't have a clue she was watching.

For the past fifteen minutes Edward had been working like a man possessed. First he'd dislodged the stack of aluminum framed lawn chairs from their winter shelter and then hauled them into the daylight. Next came the glass tabletop, followed by the heavy stack of seat cushions and the table umbrella, which was propped up in the far recess of the storage shed. Bella had to put her hand over her mouth to hold back a giggle when he accidentally bonked himself on the head with the pole.

With a sigh, she tore herself away from the window and changed out of her pajama bottoms and into her white bikini, pulling a pair of board shorts and a t-shirt over it. As she dressed, she thought about how Edward had gone ahead and broken one of the cardinal rules of boy/girl best friendship: He'd gotten extra funny, extra sweet, and _extra_ sexy.

Okay, that was three rules. But who was counting?

Bella returned to the window, marveling at what a year could do. Edward was wearing a pair of dark jean shorts and a navy and white Polo shirt, his hair sticking out all over the place. Somehow the past ten months had turned him into an Abercrombie & Fitch model.

When she'd seen him on the beach, she had to admit that she'd been more than a little stunned. His torso had broadened, and his arms and legs were much more muscular than she'd remembered. And when she'd hugged him, she discovered he wore cologne now.

But still, this was just _Edward. _Edward, the guy who had taught her how to ride a bike, who'd pulled the biggest sliver in the world (or so it seemed at the time to her) out of her foot when she ignored the no-bare-feet rule on the boardwalk, who challenged her to a watermelon-seed-spitting contest every year. Her Edward.

She'd heard that excessive heat could warp your brain and make you think things you wouldn't normally think. That must have been what had happened the day before, when she'd felt attracted to him, she decided, rubbing the grooves that had formed in her skin from leaning on the ledge.

Now Edward was in the midst of brushing off the sticky cobwebs and other assorted junk that had collected on the chairs over the past year. He lined the chairs up on the cement patio and rubbed his hands together, seemingly satisfied with his plan. Then he disappeared inside the shed and reappeared a few moments later, dragging a bright green hose behind him.

Bella rotated her neck in a slow circle, working out the kinks. She smiled as a little brown bird on the tree next to her window began to chirp at its mother, crying for its breakfast. "I'm hungry too, birdie," she said, imitating its squawking.

This was a bad thing to do. Because with her mouth wide open, she was the perfect target for Edward's hose…and his evilly aimed spray of water.

~{SL}~

There were only a few cars in the Fish Market's parking lot when Edward pulled into a spot in the back marked Employee Parking and killed the Volvo's ignition on Monday afternoon. The restaurant was located right in the heart of tourist central, on a small inlet that drifted away from the ocean, off a road the city had never bothered to pave.

Edward smoothed down the front of his khakis he'd been told to wear, checked out his hair in the rear-view mirror of a large van, and then walked up the ramp to the heavy wood-and-glass front doors. The Fish Market had always been one of Edward's favorite restaurants, and he'd been psyched when he'd called this past May about summer work and Aro, the manager, had offered him a job on the spot.

A blast of air-conditioning greeted Edward as he entered the restaurant's empty front foyer. He picked up a plastic wrapped peppermint from a bowl on the hostess's desk, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

_Don't be nervous_, he told himself sternly. _Think about something to make you relax._ The expression on Bella's face when he'd squirted her with the hose that morning immediately popped into his mind—that was enough to make anyone laugh and relax. He smiled and took a deep breath. If he felt nervous again, he'd just think of Bella. She wouldn't let him down.

"Do you know where Aro is? Edward asked a harried-looking guy hurrying by him, dressed in faded jeans and a Polo shirt and carrying a cardboard box filled with tomatoes.

The guy stopped. "You're looking at him. What can I do for you?"

Edward stood tall. "I'm Edward Cullen. I'm scheduled to start today."

The guy placed the box on the floor and gave Edward a handshake. "Follow me." He led Edward down the hallway and into a cramped office.

"Cullen, Cullen," he said, shuffling through a messy pile of papers on his desk. "Ah! Here we go." He pulled out the application Edward had sent in and looked it over. A clock shaped like a largemouth bass ticked overhead. Edward silently prayed that his job hadn't been given to someone else. What if Aro didn't remember he'd promised Edward a job?

"I really appreciate your giving me this busboy position," Edward said, hoping to refresh Aro's memory.

"Busboy?" Aro tossed the application back onto the desk and threw him a waiter's apron. "I'm running short on servers so far, and you've got that wholesome college student look our customers like. If you're good, you'll make triple the amount of money you would as a busboy. Sound okay with you?"

"Sounds great!" He hadn't been at work for two minutes and he was already getting a promotion!

Aro picked up his phone and punched in a few numbers. "Hey, it's Aro…Yeah. Who's on now?...Yeah? She's early. Okay. She's perfect. Let her know I've got a trainee for her, will ya?" He clicked off.

"Follow me," he said, motioning Edward out of the office.

They walked briskly back down the hallway and through the restaurant's main dining room. Servers were setting up for the evening dinner rush. And busboy were filling pitchers with water and ice.

Edward tried to stay calm, but it was hard for him to hide his excitement. Being a server meant tip city!

At the far corner of the room was a large mahogany bar, in front of which was a line of tall wooden stools covered in blue leather. A sophisticated-looking girl with bobbed, glossy strawberry blond hair and hazel eyes sat on one of them, writing something on s piece of paper. She wore the standard uniform of a white shirt and khaki pants, which fit her well. _Extremely_ well.

"This is the guy I called about," Aro told her. "He'll be trailing with you tonight."

_Me? Trailing her?_ Edward thought excitedly. _Yes!_

He was suddenly very glad that he'd taken that breath mint.

She smiled at him as she reached for his hand, her full red lips parting to reveal a row of perfect white teeth.

"Hi, I'm Tanya. I was just sitting here going over tonight's specials."

Edward shook her hand, hoping he wasn't too clammy. "Edward." As he felt his muscles tense up, he focused his thoughts on a wet Bella. _That's it,_ he thought as the tension seeped away. _Keep cool._

Aro clapped him on the shoulder. "Okay, Tanya, you know the deal. Edward, you're learning from a seasoned pro. Check in with me before you punch out and let me know how your first night working went." With a curt nod, he strode off towards the kitchen.

"You're in luck, Edward," Tanya said, her full lips curving slightly. "Tonight we're doing everything two by two."

Edward smiled and nodded. He could almost swear he caught a bit of flirtation in her tone.

"You sure I'm not going to bug you, following you around all night like a lost puppy?" he asked, slightly dazzled by her smile.

She tapped him lightly on his forearm. "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

Edward was still reeling from the fact that Tanya had touched him as she led the way across a small bridge with hemp rope railings into an empty dining room.

"Okay. There are three basic shifts. The first wave of customers is the senior citizens, who come in for our early bird specials." She points to a blue neon board. "The seniors can be ornery, but usually they're okay, and even though they're not the biggest tippers in the world, they're repeat customs and somebody's grandparents, so _be nice_."

Edward nodded, distracted by her big hazel eyes, and dark, curled lashes. He wondered how old she was. She had to be at least eighteen.

"Around six, families start coming in," Tanya told him.

_Hmm…maybe nineteen._

"Give anyone who is under four feet tall a cup of crayons—we cover the tables with white paper, perfect for spilled drawn butter or drawings of pet hamsters."

Tanya's hair moved in perfect sync when she turned her head… as did _other_ key body parts. Edward wondered if she had a boyfriend. Because if he had a shot with a college girl—man, that would be a fantasy come true!

"The last shift is pretty much families and couples, so just go with the flow." Tanya touched his elbow and pointed to a booth. "Let's go sit down and go over the menu. It's pretty basic, really."

Edward sat down next to her in the booth, flushing as his khaki-clad thigh brushed hers. Rather than move back, though, Tanya leaned in closer.

Edward's heart started to pound in his chest. First he'd gone from busboy to server in a matter of minutes, and now he was under the tutelage of one of the most gorgeous girls around.

This could be the start of a _beautiful_ romance… or at least a hot summer fling.

~{SL}~

"Okay. Now see these little metal cups?"

Edward nodded. For the past two hours Tanya had given him the dizzying lesson in restaurant one-oh-one, dropping in the fact that she'll be starting her first year of college this Fall (she was eighteen, Edward had learned). Servers in crisp white shirts and colorful ties scurried about, a few of them stopping a moment to give him a brief smile or a quick hello. But Edward was too taken by Tanya to really notice anyone else.

"When you begin your shift, make sure you've got a trayful of sour cream, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce. This is part of your side work." Tanya turned to wag a finger at Edward. "And keep the trays in the refrigerator until you need them. Aro is a nut about stuff like that."

They moved down to the garnish area. "This is where we keep parsley sprigs, lemon wedges and lettuce leaves—that sort of thing." She smiled "You know, to make the food more attractive."

"There's a lot of attractive things around here," Edward tried, hoping he wasn't being too forward. Tanya was friendly and open that any initial shyness had disappeared.

Tanya gave him an appreciative glance, turbo-charging his heart. "Now that you mention it, I'd have to agree with you."

That was all it took. Edward's heart practically beat out of his chest. Oblivious, Tanya pointed to a small walk-in refrigerator. "In here is where we keep all the desserts: key lime, cheesecake and fruit tarts. The Whipped Cream is on the top shelf. Fresh berries are kept in Tupperware bins. There's also gallons of salad dressing and honey mayo, but leave that to the salad girls. They'll get you what you need."

Reaching over, she straightened Edward's tie and on pulled his white dress shirt. "Do you think you're ready?"

He nodded, momentarily intoxicated by the whiff of honeysuckle that floated over him when she was near. "I think if we go over any more stuff, I'm bound to confuse salmon with flounder and create total chaos."

"Don't worry, you'll trail me for the first two hours and then, if you feel up to it, you'll go out on your own. There's nothing to stress about." She gave his cheek a light punch, a gesture Edward wouldn't bestow on a girl unless he really knew her.

Or really liked her.

"And besides," she continued with a wink, "I'll be keeping an eye on your every move."

Edward grinned. He would _definitely_ be returning the favor.

~{SL}~

"Hi." Edward whipped out his order pad. "Are you ready to order?"

The dark-haired girl on his left glanced at her friend, a mousey blonde, and nodded. "I'll have a Diet Coke."

"Me too," the blonde said.

"Two Coke," Edward said, scribbling it down. "Would you like to hear our dinner specials?"

"Are you one of them?" the dark-haired girl asked, her expression gleeful. Her friend giggled.

Edward leaned down so he was eye-to-eye with the two of them. "They didn't have enough bread crumbs to cover me," he answered flirtatiously.

As he headed back to the kitchen to place his order, he could barely keep the smile off his face. He'd never had so much attention from the opposite sex in his life!

"You're doing great," Tanya said when they crossed paths about an hour later. "Everyone seems to love you. I haven't seen one unhappy customer yet."

Edward beamed. "I'm having a great time," he said, holding the kitchen door open for her. "Thanks for your help."

"Anytime." Tanya made a frown. "I was kind of hoping you'd screw up, so I could be around you some more."

Edward gulped. "You were?"

"Uh-huh."

Flustered, Edward let go of the door, which promptly swung shut, causing him to jump back while Tanya jumped inside. Through the round window in the door, he could see her laughing.

"Catch you later," she mouthed with her sexy as sin red lips.

Edward nodded, hoping she couldn't see him trembling.

_Definitely_ okay.

~{SL}~

He was sweaty, smelly and tired, but as he got into the Volvo and started the engine at midnight, he was pumped. So pumped that he rolled down all of the windows, opened the sunroof, and plugged in his iPod and turned on _Super Massive Black Hole_ by Muse, blasting almost volume, and the bass beating loudly, causing the entire car to vibrate.

He'd been more than prepared to meet a hot girl, and he had.

_I can't wait to tell Bella all about Tanya, _ Edward thought excitedly ad he cruised the deserted boulevard. _She's gonna flip!_

* * *

**End of Chapter Notes:**

**See?! I told you things would start to pick up a bit! I just didn't say how (and to be honest I wasn't sure how it was either at the time, lol). I think Bella had a little too much fun watching Edward work outside. And okay, I'll be honest, this actually did happen to me, but I almost fell out of the window! (Yes, I'm a bit clumsy and accident prone!)**

**So, how do you think Bella's going to react when Edward fills her in on everything Tanya? Will she be happy for him? Will she be jealous? My lips are sealed (and truthfully I'm not sure yet what her reaction will be!) Or will Bella find her own heart-throb, and forget her momentarily lapse in attraction towards Edward? Who knows (I don't even know yet, lol!) Stay tuned for Chapter four!**

**And please, please, please, please, Review!**

**Peace Out **


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